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Stories

Discover curiosities, treasures and the latest inspiring stories from our community and inside the Library

Photo of Morten Schmidt
03 December 2019

Designing a world-class library

Learn how world-class libraries are designed in this talk by Morten Schmidt, whose firm SHL co-led the design of the Library's new spaces.

Two books lay open on a pillow, their pages filled with cursive handwriting
30 November 2019

An eyewitness account of the Eureka Stockade

Read about historian Clare Wright's painstaking efforts to identify the anonymous author of a rare goldfields diary.

A woman and man play guitar in a grand, two-storeyed Victorian room
30 November 2019

The Orbweavers

Watch a video with 2016 Creative Fellows Marita Dyson and Stuart Flanagan from the Orbweavers, discussing their inspirational research into West Melbourne's waterways.

Sepia portrait of a woman in Victorian clothes
30 November 2019

The women who invented The Ashes Urn

Howzat! Gideon Haigh tells of two Australian women's pivotal contribution to a gentleman's game.

Ned Kelly's armour
29 November 2019

Ned Kelly's armour

Step inside the iconic suit of armour worn by Ned Kelly on the day he was arrested at Glenrowan.

wooden dais with seated library attendant
28 November 2019

The dais in the dome

Go behind the scenes to learn what the dais in the heart of the La Trobe Reading Room was used for.

Sun Soap illustration with smiling sun
28 November 2019

The Chief Librarian and the soap thieves

Learn how the Library's Chief Librarian tracked down a gang of soap thieves in the 1880s.

art deco department store
28 November 2019

Melbourne's lost department stores

Mourn the loss of Melbourne's famous department stores, in particular Manton's and Georges.

Photo of shelves of records
26 November 2019

Pop music ephemera

Uncover the Library's new acquisition of 7" singles from the golden age of 45RPM gems.

etching of wetlands

Walking the Blue Lake

Dr David Sornig ponders the history of West Melbourne’s lost wetlands, and takes us on a collective journey around the area.